BANNU: At least four people were killed and 10 injured in an explosion near a Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) convoy headed back from an election rally here on Friday morning.
Speaking to reporters after the attack, JUI-F leader Akram Khan Durrani said the blast took place near the tire of his jeep when he was passing through Haved Bazaar after addressing an election rally. “There were workers surrounding my jeep when the blast took place.”
Earlier, RPO Karim Khan informed Geo News that the explosion took place 50 metres away from the site of a Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) rally in Haved locality, adding that 40 policemen were deployed at the venue for security duties.
Following the blast, Durrani arrived at the hospital to tend to his supporters.
“The police and institutions had told me about the security threats,” Durrani told Geo News.
“I remained safe but four of my allies have been martyred,” he remarked.
Durrani is contesting the election from NA-35 (Bannu) on a MMA ticket against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.
He has served as the federal minister for housing and works in the last federal government and is also a former chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
This is the second major incident of pre-poll violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this week.
On Tuesday, Awami National Party leader Haroon Bilour, among 22 others, was martyred in a suicide attack in Yakatoot neighbourhood of Peshawar.
